5 Things to Avoid When Shopping For Kids Guitars

Picking the first guitar for your kid is something you definitely want to do the right way. That guitar is going to be something they will fondly remember for the rest of their lives. For that reason alone, you’ll want to have all your bases covered. There are a lot of guitars that get passed as ‘guitars for kids’ on the market. However, not all of them are good while some are not even real instruments. It takes some caution if you want to avoid all of these.

What we’re going to talk about today are some things you should definitely avoid when shopping for guitars meant for kids. This information should put you on the right path. With that said, let’s get started.

If you want to skip right to the meaty bit, check out our list of Best Guitars for Kids on today's market. Still, we highly recommend checking out the findings below so you know what exactly to look for and what to be wary of. Let's do this!

Avoid Toys That Get Passed As Guitars

A lot of toy stores and even some music stores will have what are essentially toys which are being passed as guitars. These instruments will produce sound, there’s no doubt about that, but that’s about as far as it goes.

The wood used is usually of low quality, something that is generally not even used in guitars. All other components are equally shoddy. However, these are toys and should be taken as such. Where a lot of confusion comes from is the appearance. Sometimes they look like the real thing, and the only way to figure out that you’re dealing with a toy is when you take a closer look.

Avoid Cheap Guitars

The reasoning behind this is two-fold. What many parents usually do when they go out to purchase the very first guitar for their kids is cheap out and get the first thing that looks decent. It’s understandable to not want to invest in a good instrument out of fear that your kid will quickly drop playing guitar. However, it’s a mistake. A cheap instrument not only sounds worse, but the action is probably going to be uncomfortable to play.

Add some fret buzz which is not unusual on budget guitars, and you have a very dangerous mix of factors that can easily dissuade your child from playing guitar. When you invest in a good quality instrument, even if your kid loses all interest in playing guitar, you can still get a good portion of your money back. That’s the worst case scenario. Best case scenario is giving your kid an instrument that will serve them for years to come, and become one of the most important things in their life.

Try To Avoid Used Instruments

While there is nothing wrong with getting a good used instrument, buying used adds a number of risks you don’t have to worry about when you purchase a guitar in a shop. Generally, it’s not recommended to browse the used market unless you are confident that you can spot an abused guitar.

It’s really easy to fall for a pretty used instrument that is all nice on the outside, but once you closely inspect it, you find out it’s about to fall apart. So, unless you have a lot of experience with guitars, and know what to look for, you should definitely avoid the used market.

Function Over Form

Kids generally get attracted to cool looking stuff. Sometimes the cool looking stuff is not really all that good. Respecting your kid’s wishes is important, but giving them a guitar that will help them become a better guitar player is even more important in the grand scheme of things. Try to find a guitar that looks good enough, but also sounds good enough. At the end of the day, guitars are meant to be played, so everything that isn’t about performance should come second.

Avoid Getting A Guitar That Is Too Big

Guitars are not clothes, so using that logic that your kid will grow into it is something you definitely shouldn’t do. If you buy a standard sized guitar for a child that is unable to hold it properly, let alone play it comfortably, you are not really helping your kid in any way.

The ability to play guitar with ease should come first on any list. There are guitars designed to fit just about any age bracket, from 7-year-olds to 12-year-olds. Definitely take into account which size works the best for your kid, and go from there. You can read more about this in our article here ‘How to Choose a Guitar For Kids’.

Conclusion

Your kid’s first guitar is more important than any other they will have later on. It’s like your first car, no matter how good or bad it is, you will always have a special bond with it no matter what. With that said, applying some extra caution will definitely make this whole process go a lot smoother. The stuff we talked about above encompasses some of the most common mistakes people make when purchasing guitars for kids. With the info we gave you, you should be able to make an educated purchase, no matter what type of guitar you go for in the end.